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Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde has condemned the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State.
He also stated Governors elected under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will be challenging the declaration in court.
According to Makinde, the decision to seek legal redress was taken at an emergency meeting of the PDP Governors on Wednesday.
He commended the PDP for demonstrating what he called “the needed strength and leadership”.
President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State suspendinh Governor Similayi Fubara; his Deputy Ngozi Odu, as well as the House of Assembly for six months.
The President appointed Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (Rtd.) as Sole Administrator for the State.
Governor Makinde, in his biweekly newsletter, The Business of Governance Issue 110, noted that the suspension of democracy in Rivers State, through the declaration of State of Emergency, is an illegal act which must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
According to him: “I stand today to say that the declaration of the State of Emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of the executive and legislative arms of government by the presidency is an illegality that right-thinking members of society must oppose.
“Our democratic tenets must never be trifled with no matter our personal feelings and loyalties. This is the time to take a stand for fairness, equity and justice.
“As our democracy grows and unfolds, we must also be willing to speak up when we see anything that threatens our development as a nation. We must choose to stand up for what is right, even if it means standing alone.”
He added: “I am glad that our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is demonstrating the needed strength and leadership.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), the PDP Governors’ Forum rose from an emergency meeting where we unanimously decided to challenge the actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a court of competent jurisdiction. We cannot fold our hands and watch the democracy we built for almost three decades be trampled upon.”
[Thenation]
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has forecast sunshine and haziness across the country from Friday to Sunday.
NiMet also called on airline operators to get its airport-specific weather reports for effective planning.
In a weather outlook it released on Thursday in Abuja, NiMet envisaged sunny skies in hazy conditions on Friday over the northern region.
It predicted prospects of thunderstorm over parts of Taraba during the afternoon or evening hours.
“Sunny skies with patches of clouds are anticipated over the North Central region with prospects of isolated thunderstorms envisaged over parts of Kogi and Benue states.
“Cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are anticipated over the southern region with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.
“Later during the afternoon/evening hours, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Imo, Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Lagos states.
“Moderate dust haze is anticipated over parts of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Adamawa and Bauchi States on Saturday,” the statement read.
The agency anticipated the rest of the northern region to experience sunny skies in hazy conditions throughout the forecast period.
According to NIMET, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the North Central region throughout the forecast period.
Cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are anticipated over the southern region with prospects of afternoon/evening thunderstorms expected over parts of Ogun, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Lagos states
The agency predicted moderate dust haze over the northern region on Sunday.
“Temperatures are high over most parts of the country, putting people at risk of heat stress; people should stay in well-ventilated and cool spaces,” the statement read.
The agency advised members of the public to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and avoid undue exposure to direct sunlight.
It also urged people with respiratory issues, especially in the northern parts of the country to be cautious of the weather condition and take necessary precautions.
[Punch]
The Supreme Court, on Friday, restored Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel, vacated the concurrent verdicts of the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal in Enugu, which sacked him from office.
In the lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Jamilu Tukur, the apex court held that the two lower courts were bereft of the jurisdiction to dabble into domestic affairs of a political party that was not justiciable.
Consequently, the Supreme Court panel affirmed the minority judgement of the appellate court which nullified the decision of the trial court on account of lack of jurisdiction.
More so, the apex court held that the plaintiff, Mr. Aniagu Emmanuel,whose suit led to Anyanwu’s removal from office, lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute the action.
It held that the plaintiff failed to establish how he was affected by who occupied the office of the National Secretary of PDP.
The appellate court had in a judgement it delivered last December, upheld the High Court verdict that sacked Senator Anyanwu and recognized Chief Udeh-Okoye Enemchukwu as the authentic national scribe of the party.
In its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, the appellate court dismissed as incompetent and lacking in merit, Anyanwu’s bid to upturn the decision of the high court.
The court held that Anyanwu’s continued stay in office as National Secretary was in breach of PDP’s Constitution, having contested and emerged as the party’s candidate in the governorship election that held in Imo State last year.
However, dissatisfied with the concurrent judgements of the two courts, Anyanwu approached the Supreme Court to set them aside.
Aside from his substantive appeal, he equally filed a motion for accelerated hearing and for the abridgment of time within which the matter would be determined, citing the crucial role of the office of National Secretary in the affairs of the political party.
It will be recalled that both the Board of Trustees, BOT, and the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP, had earlier endorsed Chief Okoye as the National Secretary of the party, in line with the subsisting court judgements.
Anyanwu outrightly rejected the decisions, insisting that the position was the subject of a pending litigation.
Presidential Candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement released on Thursday, Kwankwaso expressed deep concern over the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all elected state legislators, calling the move a clear overreach of executive power.
Reflecting on his experience in the 1992/93 National Assembly, Kwankwaso warned against repeating past mistakes, where lawmakers were preoccupied with internal power struggles instead of safeguarding democratic institutions.
“I have closely followed developments in Rivers State in the past two days, and my initial silence was informed by the desire to let the authorities and parties in the conflict do what is right,” he stated.
However, he said he was perturbed by Tinubu’s unilateral decision to remove elected officials from office, stressing that such an action violates the constitution and undermines democracy.
Kwankwaso accused the 10th National Assembly of failing to uphold democratic principles and acting as a rubber stamp for executive excesses.
“The legislature has the responsibility to hold the executive accountable, not always play to its tune. It is appalling to see this 10th Assembly become more of a rubber stamp than any of its predecessors,” he said.
He further condemned the manner in which the National Assembly approved the state of emergency, arguing that using a voice vote on such a critical issue lacked transparency and undermined due process.
The former Kano governor also called on the judiciary to uphold its independence, urging judges to resist external influence and deliver fair and just rulings.
“Our judiciary must wake up to its responsibility of calming nerves by delivering judgments devoid of any hint of external influence,” he said.
Kwankwaso warned that President Tinubu’s actions could set a dangerous precedent for opposition-led states, creating fear and uncertainty about federal interference.
“This proclamation and the subsequent pronouncements by the Attorney General of the Federation have now sent numerous people in opposition-led states into disarray. It sets a dangerous precedent for how the Head of State can tighten his grip on states that do not share the same political standing with the center,” he warned.
He also criticized the involvement of the military, stating that Tinubu, as a longtime advocate of democracy, should understand the dangers of reintroducing military influence into governance.
“For a politician who prides himself as a defender of democracy, drafting the military into a position of leadership is dangerous to the progress we have made in the past 26 years,” he noted.
He further reminded Tinubu of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s efforts to keep the military confined to their barracks, warning that reversing this trend could have long-term consequences.
Kwankwaso concluded by urging the federal government to reconsider its actions, emphasizing that the political situation in Rivers did not warrant such drastic measures.
“I am of the view that the political situation on the ground in Rivers does not justify such a flawed interpretation of Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
“This action constitutes an unconstitutional overreach, and if unchecked, it could foster a culture of impunity,” he warned.
[DailyTrust]
There are indications that the Federal Government’s Naira-for-crude panel will be reconvening a meeting on Monday to consider continuation of the crude sales deal with Dangote Refinery amid petroleum products price uncertainty.
Reliable sources in the Ministries of Petroleum Resources and Finance, who preferred anonymity, made this known on Thursday.
This comes after Dangote Refinery on Wednesday announced the suspension of its petroleum products sales in Naira.
Dangote Refinery’s decision to suspend petrol product sales in Naira indicated that there is a stalemate in discussion between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Dangote Refinery over the continuation of the Naira-for-crude sale contract.
However, official sources familiar with the matter told DAILY POST that the scheme may continue.
It was confirmed that NNPCL faced a crude availability crisis following the fact that the state-owned firm had pre-sold large volumes to foreign creditors under its crude-backed loans.
“The scheme won’t end. The challenging point is the issue of crude availability, with NNPC claiming it has pre-sold large volumes of crude.
“The committee agreed to reconvene on Monday (next week) to review options that the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has been mandated to come up with. The committee is trying to dimension solution options,” the official stated.
Recall that the committee last week met at the Ministry of Finance Headquarters in Abuja to assess developments and reaffirm commitments to the naira-for-crude policy framework.
The meeting had in attendance the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun (who joined virtually); the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr. Zacch Adedeji; the Chief Financial Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company; the Executive Commissioner of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (who also joined virtually); and other stakeholders.
Reacting to the development, the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, said its members will not hesitate to seek alternative sources of petroleum products.
“The market is making preparations for any surprises. So, if there are surprises, we’ll have alternatives to go to,” he said.
On his part, the president of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, appealed for government intervention in the continuation of the Naira-for-crude policy in order to maintain the tempo of the petrol price template.
“I would like to advise the FG to look into the agreement with Dangote again to maintain the tempo of the prices of petroleum products,” he said.
[DailyPost]
Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will begin to enjoy the newly reviewed federal allowance of N77,000.00 monthly from March, 2025.
The Director General (DG) of NYSC, Brig. Gen. Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, disclosed this while addressing Corps members serving in the Federal Capital Territory, at NYSC Zonal Office, Wuse Zone 3 and Old Parade Ground, Garki Area respectively on Thursday.
He informed them that the Ministry of Finance had communicated to the scheme that the funds were ready for disbursement .
He explained that the delay of the new allowance implementation was a result of the late signing of 2025 appropriation bill .
While appreciating the Corps members for keeping faith with the objectives of NYSC’s founding fathers by fostering national unity, integration and development, the NYSC helmsman implored them to equally imbibe the wording of the NYSC Anthem.
Brig. Gen. Nafiu equally urged the Corps members to utilize all communication channels availed by the Scheme to relate any complaints and/or suggestions that would improve its operations.
[DailyTrust]
Anambra Airport workers lament four years casualization, poor safety measures, seek NLC intervention
Admin
Workers of Anambra State Airport, also known as Chinua Achebe International Airport, located at Umueri, have called on the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and human rights organisations to intervene over what they described as modern-day slavery policies by the management.
In a reminder letter dated Thursday, March 13, 2025, and addressed to the State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the workers said it was the 3rd time they had written to draw the attention of the Governor on the inhuman conditions they were facing, especially the dangers associated with poor safety and lack of maintenance at the facility, without getting any response or solution from the government.
They informed the Governor that they have forwarded the current letter to the NLC for intervention.
The signatories to the petition, titled: “Letter of Urgent Help”, were not disclosed for fear of victimization.
Apart from casualization which they said had lasted nearly four years of their employment, they also accused the management of other anti-workers policies, including, non-payment of statutory allowances, no training whatsoever, in order to update them of the best ways to operate a modern airport, non-implementation of minimum wage, poor salary structure, no safety measures, among others.
The letter reads in part, “We, the staff of the above-named airport cry for urgent help to the hard-working government of Prof. Chukwuma C. Soludo and every well-meaning Anambrarians.
“We are also sending a copy of this letter to the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and human rights organisations to intervene and help us, since our earlier letters have not received needed attention and action from the state government.
“Three months into the fourth year of the commencement of operations in our Airport there is a serious cause for concern, because the results seen so far are nothing to write home about.
“Staff of the airport have been subjected to the most ridiculous work conditions, leaving staff very frustrated and unable to give their best at work.
“Staff are yet to get their offer letters almost four years after commencement of flight operations in the airport. We are as good as termed floating staff with no root.
“This is the worst form of casualization by any state government in the country as staff do not understand their positions as regards the security of their jobs.
“Staff of the Anambra airport earn Zero statutory allowances. Airport staff nationwide and Internationally are entitled to mandatory Hazard allowance, Shift allowance, Health insurance and housing Allowance. These allowances are compulsory allowances airport staff are entitled to around the world but we get none here.
“Since the commencement of flight operations at the Chinua Achebe Airport Umueri, close to four years ago, no staff has been sent for any trainings, Aside the induction training done before the Airport started operations, staff lack the drive to deliver and are denied the opportunity to learn about new developments in the Aviation sector as well as to interact with other aviation players.
“It is very clear that the staff of the Chinua Achebe Airport, Anambra are the lowest paid Airport workers in Nigeria.
“Our findings show that we are the least at the bottom of the ladder. The morale of staff is at their lowest, staff now resort to cooperate begging to survive, we receive almost twice less than what our nearest neighbour pays her staff.
“Staff salaries are deducted at the slightest provocation to make an already bad situation worse.
“The attention to best industry standards is thrown to the winds. Occasionally fires ignite at different parts of the airport, especially bush fires threatening expensive airport installations.
“A facility fire at the CITA fuel dump at the Airport on the 1st of December 2024 led to the death of the CITA staff stationed there, if emergency response was quick, this disaster may have been averted.
“In conclusion, the staff of the Chinua Achebe Airport, Umueri are in pain. We lack the most basic tools to work with, basic spare parts to carry out maintenance are always not available, making electrical, plumbing and other maintenance very difficult.”
[DailyPost]
The World Happiness Report 2025 has ranked Finland as the happiest country for the eighth consecutive year.
The rankings, which were released on Thursday, are based on people’s self-rated life satisfaction, with the study conducted in partnership with Gallup and the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Two Latin American countries Costa Rica at No. 6 and Mexico at No. 10, both enter the top 10 for the first time in the 2025 report.
Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden, which are ranked on the top four, remain in the same position as 2024, while Norway also retains No. 7.
While social support systems that look out for residents’ welfare are important to Finland’s No. 1 ranking, the people play a role too.
Here is a list of World’s 50 happiest countries in 2025:
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Sweden
- Netherlands
- Costa Rica
- Norway
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
- Belgium
- Ireland
- Lithuania
- Austria
- Canada
- Slovenia
- Czechia
- United Arab Emirates
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Belize
- Poland
- Taiwan
- Uruguay
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Serbia
- Saudi Arabia
- France
- Singapore
- Romania
- Brazil
- El Salvador
- Spain
- Estonia
- Italy
- Panama
- Argentina
- Kazakhstan
- Guatemala
- Chile
- Vietnam
- Nicaragua
- Malta
- Thailand
- Slovakia
At the bottom of the list are Afghanistan (No. 147), Sierra Leone (No. 146), Lebanon (No. 145), Malawi (No. 144) and Zimbabwe (No. 143).
[TheNation]
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has commended the National Assembly for “its decisive and patriotic ratification of the State of Emergency proclamation in Rivers State”, a critical step to restoring stability after a protracted political crisis that paralysed governance in the state and endangered national economic security for over 15 months.
The President specifically commended the leadership of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, other principal officers and members “for prioritising the security and welfare of Rivers State people above partisan interests and other considerations.”
A statement by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said the President “further acknowledged the lawmakers’ diligent review of classified security briefings, underscoring the urgent need for intervention to prevent further escalation.”
According to the statement: “The crisis in Rivers State was at a perilous tipping point, threatening the security of vital oil and gas installations and undermining the national economy and the significant progress we have made in the reforms initiated since our administration commenced in May 2023.
“As I detailed in my address to the nation on 18 March, the near-total collapse of governance, threats to federal economic assets, and the risk of widespread violence left no room for hesitation. This emergency measure is a lifeline to safeguard livelihoods, secure critical infrastructure, and restore democratic accountability.”
The President affirmed that the six-month emergency will empower the newly-appointed Sole Administrator to stabilise Rivers State, address systemic breakdowns, and facilitate dialogue among conflicting parties.
President Tinubu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the National Assembly to advance peace, economic resilience, and equitable development across Nigeria.
“Today’s decision exemplifies what our nation can achieve when unity of purpose and patriotism guide the action of leaders. We remain steadfast in pursuing a safer, more prosperous Nigeria—one where every citizen’s potential is safeguarded and nurtured,” he said.
He thanked all Nigerians for their understanding and urged all stakeholders to support the restoration of peace in Rivers State.
[Vanguard]
Nigeria has moved up one place to 91st in the latest global passport ranking out of 199 countries.
Although the rating marks a slight improvement for Nigeria’s global image, travel access for citizens remains stiff with the country retaining its visa-free access to only 45 nations — same as last year.
Nigeria was ranked 91st alongside Ethiopia and Myanmar, two countries battling incursions from armed groups, according to the Henley Passport Index for 2025.
The Henley Passport Index is updated monthly based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA).
In Africa, the Nigerian passport was only ranked above passports from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia.
This makes the Nigerian passport the seventh least desirable travel document from Africa. In 2024, it was the sixth.
The rating comes as Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, said the ministry had succeeded in redeeming Nigeria’s image abroad.
Tuggar spoke on Thursday at the ministerial press briefing held in Abuja.
“The next stage is to exalt and glorify Nigeria’s image,” the minister said as he recounted how the ministry negotiated the release of wrongfully imprisoned Nigerians in unnamed countries.
Tuggar did not clarify how the ministry would achieve this goal but noted that the country was committed to applying ethical considerations in implementing its foreign policy while liaising with other nations.
In July 2023, Nigeria was ranked 90th on the global passport list but fell to 97th position below African countries like Burundi, Cameroon, and Liberia, showing a significant shift in the nation’s visa policy.
The passport later made a comeback in 2024 climbing to the 92nd spot.
Meanwhile, Seychelles retained its spot as the most favoured African passport with an improved ranking of 22 — two spots higher than the previous year — with access to an increased 156 countries.
Singapore remained the most powerful passport with access to 193 nations while Afghanistan still held last with access to 25 countries.
[TheCAble]
More...
The Senate on Thursday approved the proclamation of state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday.
The resolution was taken at Thursday’s closed-door session of the legislators to deliberate on the declaration and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and other elected officials.
The closed session was announced after Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read a letter from Tinubu at plenary on Thursday.
Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, subsequently moved a motion for a closed session in pursuant to Order 135 of the Senate rules.
The motion was seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro.
More details shortly…
The portrait showing Sir Siminalayi Fubara as governor of Rivers State was intact at Government House, Port Harcourt, when sole Administrator of Rivers, Admiral Ekwe Ibok Ibas (rtd), settled down for his first day in office.
President Bola Tinubu had appointed Ibas after declaring State of Emergency in Rivers as a result of the protracted political crisis in the state.
The president had suspended Fubara and members of the Rivers House of Assembly for six months, citing break down of law and order.
After the president swore him in on Wednesday, Ibas promised to restore law and order in Rivers.
In a chat with State House correspondents after he was sworn in, the retired naval chief said, “We know the circumstances that led to why we are here, and Mr President made it clear in his broadcast. If the main issue is that of maintaining law and order in the state, I think for any meaningful activities to take place in Rivers State, that is the utmost task that I have. We will work together with other stakeholders to ensure that we bring peace, order, security and stability to the people and government of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.”
The Sole Administrator was said to have arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, by 11.30am and proceeded straight to Government House, Port Harcourt where he was received by the Government House staff.
However, at the exco chamber, the pictures of Tinubu and Fubara were seen carefully hung.
[Daily Trust]
![[FULL SPEECH] Atiku announces coalition to unseat Tinubu in 2027](/media/k2/items/cache/1ebdac3f74cc720201f2dcc09be7f2d2_XS.jpg)
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 General Election, Atiku Abubakar, has announced the formation of a coalition of opposition political parties to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku, made this known while responding to a question on behalf of the opposition leaders at an ongoing press conference at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
He said, “Yes, this is the birth of the coalition of opposition ahead of 2027.”
This announcement comes amid the chaos in Rivers State.
Recall that on Tuesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration has sparked condemnations among Nigerians.
See full speech below:
JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BY CONCERNED LEADERS AND POLITICAL STAKEHOLDERS IN NIGERIA ON THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU
Fellow Nigerians,
We, a cross-section of leaders and political stakeholders from across the country, have come together to address the dangerous and unconstitutional actions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on March 18, 2025—to wit, the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State and the illegal suspension of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State House of Assembly.
This action is not only unlawful but a clear attempt to subvert democracy and impose federal control over a duly elected state government. We strongly condemn this development and call on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this brazen assault on constitutional governance.
Seemingly, Mr President’s illegal and unconstitutional proclamation was driven by the protracted insidious political crisis in Rivers State, culminating in the recent ruling of the Supreme Court. Ordinarily, all parties involved would have been expected to follow laid-down procedures, motivated by good faith, to quickly implement the judgment of the highest court of the land. We note that Governor Fubara’s disposition is geared towards full implementation of the ruling of the Supreme Court, despite provocative statements from opposing quarters.
It is also notable that Mr President’s broadcast to the nation on 18th March 2025 betrayed his bias and is infra dig of the sophisticated communication expected from the highest office in the land. By so doing, the President dragged himself and his highly exalted office into the arena of the political brawl, thereby denigrating his high office through inelegant language, predisposed excessiveness and malignant deportment.
The Constitutional Violations
1.Illegal Removal of a Governor and State Assembly
The Nigerian Constitution does not empower the President to remove an elected Governor, Deputy Governor, or State Assembly under any circumstances. The procedure for removing a Governor is clearly outlined in Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) through an impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly—not by presidential proclamation.
2. Misuse of Section 305 on State of Emergency
Section 305 of the Constitution allows the President to declare a State of Emergency only in extreme cases where public safety, national security, or Nigeria’s sovereignty is at serious risk. However, it does not grant him the power to suspend elected officials or to demolish democratic structures as is currently being attempted.
Furthermore, Section 305(1) states that any proclamation of emergency is subject to the provisions of the Constitution—meaning it cannot override the tenure and removal procedures of a Governor.
3. Failure to Meet Constitutional Requirements for Emergency Rule
The conditions under Section 305(3) for declaring a state of emergency include:
War or external aggression
Breakdown of public order and safety
Natural disasters or any other grave emergency threatening Nigeria’s corporate existence
None of these conditions exist in current circumstances in Rivers State. There is no war, no widespread violence, and no breakdown of law and order warranting emergency rule.
4. Failure to Follow Due Process
Even if an emergency declaration were valid (which it is not), it would still require a two-thirds majority approval of ALL members of the National Assembly—that is, at least, 72 Senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives. If this approval is not secured, the proclamation must automatically cease to have effect.
5.Alternative Legal Avenues Were Ignored
If the issue was the dysfunction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the President could have encouraged the National Assembly to intervene under Section 11 of the Constitution. However, even under such an intervention, the Governor and Deputy Governor cannot be removed by any arm of government except through constitutional means, as the proviso to S. 11(4) clearly provides.
A Manufactured Crisis for Political Control
This State of Emergency declaration is not about security—it is about power. The disagreements within Rivers State stem from the defection of 27 Assembly members from the PDP to the APC, their loss of seats under constitutional provisions, and the subsequent political manoeuvring to undermine the Governor’s mandate.
Rather than allowing the law to take its course, the federal government has engineered a crisis to justify this unconstitutional action. The excuse of pipeline vandalism—an issue squarely under the control of federal security agencies and privately contracted security firms—is laughable. If security breaches are the concern, the first question should be: Who controls the police, the military, and the DSS? The Governor or the President?
Our Demand and Call to Action
1.Immediate Reversal: We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately revoke this unconstitutional proclamation and reinstate the elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and State Assembly of Rivers State.
2.National Assembly’s Rejection: We call on patriotic Senators and Representatives to vote against this illegal action when it comes before them for approval. The National Assembly must not be used to legitimise an unconstitutional power grab.
3.Judicial Intervention: We urge the judiciary to act swiftly in striking down this proclamation, as it sets a dangerous precedent that could be used to arbitrarily remove any Governor in the future.
4.Nigerians Must Defend Democracy: We call on all civil society organisations, political groups, and Nigerians of good conscience to stand firm in the defence of this democracy that we have all toiled to build. Rivers State is not a conquered territory, and Nigeria is not a dictatorship requiring the replacement of an ELECTED GOVERNOR with a MILITARY ADMINISTRATOR.
Conclusion
A peaceful Niger Delta is critical to the economic health and stability of Nigeria. The federal government should not manufacture political crises that could disrupt this fragile stability.
We must never allow personal political interests to override the principles of federalism, democracy, and constitutional governance. This is not just about Rivers State—it is about the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
We thank you all.
The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio and Senator Seriake Dickson were, on Thursday, locked up in a heated argument over the provision of Senate Rules in the handling of debate on the State of Emergency in Rivers State.
As the Senate convened for plenary, Leader Michael Bamidele Opeyemi moved a motion for the Order Paper to be re-ordered to enable the Senate to handle the debate on the state of emergency before any other motion itemized for legislative action.
As Bamidele stood to point out the relevant order, Seriake Dickson\, representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District and former governor of Bayelsa State raised a point of order, to which Akpabio was hesitant to oblige.
The angry Akpabio reminded Seriake Dickson in a witty manner, how he watched him on television saying he would not go the way of the Senate on the state of emergency in Rivers, even as Dickson insisted on getting the Senate President’s attention through a point of order.
Akpabio said: “Senator Seriake Dickson, let’s not argue, if we argue it won’t be good for any of us.
“We are all distinguished people, you were a former governor, I was a former governor. Please turn off your mic and sit down. I watched you on television. You said, whatever the Senate does, the Senate will never go with you.
“I said you said whatever the Senate does, the Senate will never have your vote.
“I don’t know but if you have already made up your mind to go on television when the Senate has not done anything or considered any issue, I am not arguing with you, but I say, please allow me to preside.
Replying to the Senate President, Seriake Dickson said: “Mr Senate President, you know we must have mutual respect for all our colleagues, and I do have regard for you, particularly, as our presiding officer and I think that should be reciprocal.”
Dickson said the point of order he raised was to draw the attention of Senators to the provision on the need to first break into a closed-door meeting.
The motion to close the door was immediately raised by the Senate Leader and seconded by the minority leader, Senator Abba Moro and the Senate went into a closed-door session.
[DailyPost]